Page 159

"Mother, why are we running this way?"

In the crowd, a sallow-faced woman in her thirties was being dragged by an old woman into an alley to hide!

"You silly daughter-in-law, you’re just like your blockheaded eldest brother!

" As the old woman pulled the younger into the alley, she said, "The streets are so chaotic. The intersections are crowded with so many people; can’t you see the situation? Can the two of us push through? One misstep and we could be trampled to death, and moreover, people are saying that there’s been killing, causing this turmoil.

It’s likely that bandits are invading and massacring.

In such situations, running to where there are more people will only get you killed faster! "

"Eh?" The daughter-in-law was startled. "Mother, why do you say that? Isn’t it safer where there are more people?"

"Safer?" The old woman looked at her like she was looking at an idiot. "If it were safe, why the hell would those people be running? When everyone is running, no one cares about anyone else, so aside from drawing more attention, how is that safe?"

"That’s true..." The two of them hid in the alley, and wouldn’t you know it, while the outside was tumultuous and noisy, the alley was as quiet as if it were another world. Hiding in a corner, they were indeed cut off from the outside; even their previous panic had subsided quite a bit!

"Mother... it seems... quite safe."

"Humph..." The old woman said with a smug laugh, "Isn’t it though? Back when I accompanied your father, that frail scholar, to Yundu for the imperial examination, we encountered a city being sacked. If it hadn’t been for my resourcefulness, he would have been slaughtered long ago. I was also a beauty in my day. If I hadn’t been clever, I would have been violated and killed by those brutal soldiers without a shred of conscience! "

The daughter-in-law nodded absentmindedly.

Although her mother-in-law was harsh on her on normal days, when it really mattered, she never made a mistake.

Just look at when she ground tofu years ago; though it was tough, it indeed helped the family establish a good business in Lyuzhou.

If not for supporting that younger uncle, her family could have even bought a big house in Lyuzhou by now!

"Mother, but... will it be safe to stay here?"

"That’s uncertain..." The old woman shook her head. "If it’s just a few bandits entering the city, the officials will surely quell the situation eventually. At most, we hide for half a day and it should be fine. But if it’s like the massive chaos of the old days with armies sacking the city, it’s hard to say.

No matter where you hide, those damn killers could find you.

But don’t worry. I’m old, and you’re not that good-looking.

If we smear some ash on ourselves and dress like refugees, hiding in the corner pretending to be beggars, we’ll most likely not be targeted. "

Upon hearing this, the daughter-in-law’s face turned red with the breath she was holding in.

After all these years, she still wasn’t used to her mother-in-law’s words.

What did she mean by ’not that good-looking’?

If she hadn’t married her foolish son and endured all these years, could she have looked the way she does now?

When she was young, wasn’t she called the prettiest girl in the villages around?

With fair and tender skin and never having done heavy work, her hands were so delicate you could squeeze water out of them, unlike now, her fingers thickened like radishes. ..

"But... the child is still in the mansion." The daughter-in-law said worriedly.

"That’s the Governor-general’s Mansion. If something happens there, there’s nothing we can do as mother and daughter. Don’t worry; first, we need to survive. Only if we survive can we have the chance to save our grandson. If we both have an accident, then everything is lost, understand?"

The daughter-in-law nodded obediently. After so many years, she had become accustomed to her assertive mother-in-law making decisions, and in critical times, although the old woman was irritating, she was indeed reliable.

"Not bad at all... although she seems to be a rural woman, she has more insight than many women from big households!"

The old woman was stunned, then immediately pulled her daughter-in-law back two steps.

"Mother, it’s an old gentleman; there is no need for such alarm..." The daughter-in-law, her hand pinched painfully, quickly tried to reassure the old woman.

"Silly daughter-in-law..." The old woman gave a bitter smile. "This alley is only so big; if there had been someone, we would have seen them by now. Don’t you think he appeared out of thin air?"

"Uh?"

"I’m just a rural woman, I doubt the gentleman would look twice at me. May I ask why the gentleman has sought me out?" The old woman asked cautiously.

The old man was none other than Shen Qi, who looked at her with a smile and wondered, "The mother of Chen Qing?"

The old woman: "...."

"Mother, this gentleman knows Chen Qing!" The daughter-in-law exclaimed with joy.

"Shut up!" The old woman’s face turned iron blue.

"It seems I am not mistaken." Seventh Master Shen said with a gentle smile, "Truly remarkable. Young Lord Chen has such strange and wondrous methods, yet his own mother is indeed a common rural mortal. Tsk tsk, I wonder where he got all those abilities from?"

The old woman slowly backed away with her daughter-in-law, cursing in her heart: I knew it must be that troublemaking brat!

In fact, ever since she was brought over from the north, she suspected that her child must have encountered some trouble.

She wasn’t completely ignorant as a rural woman, and she knew it was no common occurrence for someone to be made the Magistrate of Lyuzhou right after becoming an Imperial Scholar.

A windfall doesn’t always mean good fortune.

After Nanyang City was sealed off, she became even more worried.

And now, it seemed that her worries were not unfounded; that damned boy. .. surely encountered trouble!

Without hesitation, she reached for the brick hidden behind her, ready to lash out.

She didn’t expect to necessarily succeed in the outbreak, but she didn’t want to burden that wretched boy. As for her daughter-in-law... she could only apologize deeply. If they were to be unfortunate together, she could only compensate this silly daughter-in-law in their next life.

Seventh Master Shen naturally noticed the old woman’s subtle movement, and a flicker of appreciation crossed his eyes.

This rural woman was calm and decisive. Although a mere mortal, she was astute to the situation, which was indeed commendable. Perhaps... she could be developed into a family member to threaten Young Lord Chen?

"Mother..."

A faint voice halted the old woman’s movement, tinged with resignation, "Seventh Master Shen, when did you discover this?"

Chen Qing had actually arrived earlier, but he also soon discovered Shen Liu’s whereabouts and dared not take any action. The distance was too close, and he wasn’t confident that he could keep his mother and sister-in-law safe.

Behind him, Shen Lao Shi’s brows were tightly furrowed.

He wanted to take direct action since the blood feud of the twelfth was right before his eyes, but he was sternly stared down by the fierce little one beside him.

It seemed if he dared to make a move, the child would dare to crush him to death!

Although Shen Lao Shi was prideful and aloof, he was self-aware.

The overwhelming vital energy displayed by the little child in the restaurant earlier was even stronger than that of Weichi Peng.

At such a close distance, if a fight broke out, even with his Divine Wind he might not be able to make a clean escape.

After all, he was not his sister-in-law who was proficient in both magic and martial arts...

"I discovered it quite early," Shen Liu said with a light laugh.

"The whole of Nanyang is under my surveillance.

Hong Rui, a Commander, being so courteous to two country women, I could naturally guess their identities were no simple matter.

A few days ago, that country man, with a young girl, headed towards Lyuzhou, and according to your information, Lord Chen, they were a family of farmers who had lost their father at a young age.

Connecting these dots was not difficult, now was it? "

"Lord Shen really has a lot of spare time..." Chen Qing said coldly. "Ordinary people wouldn’t observe so closely what’s happening at Commander Hong’s."

"I have no choice, after all, he is a Commander in control of a region.

The intelligence says he is a prodigal son, but what if he was sent by the Imperial Court to monitor me?

" Shen Liu said with a smile. "Fifth Master went to the Capital City. Although I cooperate with him, whether he trusts me is also an issue. Isn’t Hong Rui a good candidate for monitoring me?

His identity is a gilded prodigal, the least likely to be suspected, right? "

"Ha..." Chen Qing laughed. "And here I thought, after many years of cooperation with Fifth Master, you would have built mutual trust."

"I am curious," Shen Liu looked at Chen Qing. "I don’t dare to fully trust after many years of cooperation with Fifth Master, yet you dare to trust easily and even collaborate with him. Tell me, Lord Chen, which of my brothers have you made an agreement with?"

"Why would Lord Shen think that I have collaborated with your brothers?"

"Why would Lord Chen play dumb?" Shen Liu sneered. "The Nine Heavens Mirror Valley has trapped us for thousands of years. What are its rules and patterns, my brothers and I have long known them by heart. Without their help, no matter how capable you are, you won’t be able to break out of the Nine Heavens Mirror’s encirclement. "

"Couldn’t I have come from the Path of Yin and Yang?"

"That Wang Ye is still inexperienced, and the Flying Star technique cannot possibly be used twice in a short time. As for that thing beside you... Ghost Doll, right?" Shen Liu sneered. "Given the current situation on the Path of Yin and Yang, do you dare to ride the Ghost Horse in there?"

As he spoke, Shen Lao Liu took a step toward the old woman. "Time is of the essence, Lord Chen, it’d be better not to delay..."

Chen Qing’s face darkened as he looked at the distance between Shen Lao Liu and his mother, and ultimately he admitted truthfully, "Princess Bai Yu!"

"You really dare, hahaha!" Shen Liu laughed loudly. "Among the nine siblings, if we talk about ruthlessness, Seventh Master ranks within the top three. Young Lord Chen, you’re vigorous and bold; haven’t you been bewitched by Seventh Master’s appearance?"

"It’s not impossible..." Chen Qing laughed. "With Princess Bai Yu’s temperament, if I could savor her charms, what’s a little risk?"

"Heh... stop with those words," Shen Lao Liu glanced at the huge eye that had already noticed the activity here. "Take me out of Nanyang City and I’ll spare your family!"

"Even if I were willing, Shen Qi and the others wouldn’t agree to let you go. Just moments ago, Lord Shen, you tortured their brother to death right in front of them."

"That’s not my concern..." Shen Liu shook his head. "That’s your problem. If you can’t do it, I will kill these two old women!"

Chen Qing’s sister-in-law’s face twitched in a spasm, though she knew she shouldn’t focus on such details given the seriousness of the situation, she couldn’t help feeling a little resentful—what do you mean ’two old women’? You are the old woman!

"Fine!" Seeing Shen Liu step closer, Chen Qing knew the other party was about to act and hastily shouted, "I’ll take you out!"

"My child..." Chen Qing’s mother pinched the brick hidden in her sleeve. "Will it work?"

"Mother, don’t worry, it’ll be alright!" Chen Qing reassured his mother. "You mustn’t act recklessly; your eldest son and younger daughter are still waiting for you over there."

"Alright, alright... as long as they’re alright!" Tears welled up in the corners of Chen Qing’s mother’s eyes. During the days when Nanyang City was under lockdown, what worried her the most was her daughter and eldest son who had gone to Lyuzhou.

"Lord Chen, this doesn’t seem right," Lao Shi frowned, just about to say something when Ghost Doll grabbed his neck.

"I would trouble Tenth Master to escort us out."

"You..." Shen Lao Shi’s face turned ashen; he had already been threatened for the second time today!

As he said this, he glanced at Shen Lao Liu. "Perhaps Lord Shen would grace us with his true presence. Otherwise... how can we safely escort you out?"

Shen Lao Liu looked at Chen Qing, a flicker of doubt passing in his eyes. Honestly, he felt that he should be in control of the situation, but for some reason, he still felt that something was not quite right.

"What is Lord Shen worrying about?" Chen Qing frowned and said. "Are you afraid I will act against your true body? You can rest assured on that front; though I may be unfilial, I would not joke with my mother’s safety. If you really don’t feel at ease, shall we establish a Technique as guarantee?"

He did seem quite sincere...

Shen Liu also felt that the other party shouldn’t be able to trick him, unless he was the type of ruthless person who disregarded even his own mother’s safety.

Thinking of this, Shen Liu suddenly found it somewhat amusing. What he was betting on was actually a person’s conscience...

And he was the one who least believed in such a thing!